There are two factors that stand in the way of most solar roof installations – cost and aesthetics. Heritage Solar Slate aims to tackle the latter problem with their innovative solar tiles, which are designed to look just like roofing slates. The photovoltaic slates provide a stylish alternative to standard panels, are fully weatherproof, and are perfect for use on historic buildings in preservation areas. It is hoped that the slate panels will enable groups like The National Trust to reduce the carbon footprint of historical buildings and attractions.

The slates feature no moving parts and require practically no maintenance. They are designed to blend in with traditional slate tiles, which allows them to meet most planning permission regulations — even in historic preservation areas. Best of all, the panels can be easily installed thanks to a ‘fit-and-forget’ process that requires no specialized training other than traditional roofing skills. 340 panels have already been used in Snowdonia National Park on a traditional cottage called Y Stabal.

An added bonus is that the Heritage Solar Slates qualify for England’s feed-In tariff plan, which incentivizes renewable energy projects throughout the UK. In essence, feed-in tariffs are payments made to energy generating homes and businesses for the renewable electricity they provide. They aim to increase the level of renewable energy in the UK in order to meet the country’s goals of generating 20% of its energy via renewable methods by 2020.